Fragrance comparison

Awfa vs Retrospection

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 22 Oct 2026 92 ratings analysed

6 wins

Awfa

Ahmed Al Maghribi

4.3358 votes

Rank #4,083 AmberAnimalic

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,131 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Awfa takes 6 of 7 categories.

Awfa
Choose it for a amber and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Awfa6/7

Retrospection1/7

Ratings & consensus: Awfa
Community sentiment: Awfa
Longevity: Awfa
Sillage & projection: Awfa
Value for money: Awfa
Versatility: Retrospection
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Awfa

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

AwfaAhmed Al Maghribi

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 28%Had 5%Want 67%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerAwfaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

65%Love

13%Like

15%Ok

3%Dislike

5%Hate

40 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerAwfaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity89

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityAwfa

SillageAwfa

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value70

¤ Price value61

Category winnerAwfaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

animalic92%

oud84%

leather77%

musky69%

vanilla61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both animalic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

LeatherClary SageOrange Blossom

Heart

LabdanumCaramelRed RoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

AmbergrisIndian OudBourbon VanillaMuskOakmossHaitian Vetiver

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

InformationalShared notesLeather, Clary Sage, Orange Blossom and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring38

Summer27

Fall81

Winter100

Day42

Night100

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men54

Unisex36

Women10

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

Date 31%Work 28%Casual 23%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,083

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews21

Overall rank#18,131

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerAwfaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Awfa is a dark, resinous leather and oud fragrance with a challenging opening and a much smoother drydown. Early on it can smell sharply animalic, smoky and slightly bitter, then settles into a warmer mix of amber, vanilla, soft caramel and musky woods. It suits cold weather, evening wear and buyers who enjoy bold Mid…

Reviews →

Retrospection by JMP Artisan Perfumes resurrects the bold, unapologetic swagger of traditional masculine perfumery from the late twentieth century. Created by Polish independent perfumer Jakub Pietrynka, this composition opens with a sharp burst of bitter galbanum, soapy aldehydes, and zesty bergamot. Within minutes, …

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Awfa or Retrospection?

Awfa takes 6 of 7 categories. Awfa is rated 4.33/5 from 58 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Awfa for a amber and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Awfa or Retrospection?

Awfa lasts longest (Awfa 89/100, Retrospection 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Awfa or Retrospection?

Awfa projects furthest (Awfa 81/100, Retrospection 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Awfa and Retrospection smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share animalic accords. Common notes include Leather, Clary Sage, Orange Blossom and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Awfa or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

For summer, Awfa is the stronger pick. For winter, Awfa is the stronger pick. Awfa suits evening wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Awfa and Retrospection?

Awfa has top notes of Leather, Clary Sage and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Labdanum, Caramel, Red Rose and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Ambergris, Indian Oud, Bourbon Vanilla and Musk. Retrospection has top notes of Galbanum, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Wormwood, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Oakmoss, Civet, Leather and Beeswax.